Rich Neuwirth

Rich performed with Black Swan in 1995 and 1996. He was born in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and got hip to jazz from his fifth-grade elementary teacher who played the Hall Brother's Jazz Band's recordings in class. Rich started sneaking into the Emporium of Jazz in Mendota, Minnesota around age 16 to listen to the Hall Brothers and "Test the drinks". He has been hooked ever since...on jazz that is!

Rich began playing the banjo around age 9 and has primarily learned by ear and through his own "secret" methods. He lists his greatest influences as Clancy Hayes, Bob Scobey and the entire San Francisco tradition of music.

Rich likes to lay down rhythm, sing old favorites and says "I really dig good drummers such as Don 'Doggy' Berg, George 'Red' Maddock and Glenn 'Pappy' Koch. Rich is also inspired by "those 'Way too HOT' cornet players such as Ernie Carson, Jim Goodwin and Charlie DeVore."